The Long Road To You
by TemptingFate
Summary: Jack's forced to take a journey of the heart when everything he believes to be true is shattered and he's left with a web of deceit and a world of lies.
1. An Arrest Is Made

Disclaimer: I don't ATWT or anything/anyone having to do with ATWT.  
  
A/N-This story starts right after Jack turns JJ over to his real parents. And I only manage to catch bits and pieces of ATWT, so some of the story lines might not be exactly right.  
  
-Chapter 1-  
  
Jack Snyder slowly turned away and forced himself to walk in the opposite direction, away from his son. Except JJ wasn't really his. That one thought kept echoing in his mind, over and over again like a broken record. Julia had lied to him yet again, but this would be the last time. He'd wised up, learned the hard way that she wouldn't be trusted. That she'd pull any trick, any deceit, to get what she wanted. And what she wanted was to see him and Carly hurt. Looking over at his wife, he almost allowed himself a small smile. She had been so great through all of this, always there to support him and stand by him. Sure, she'd lied to him many times and had planned and plotted to get her way, but the lies she had told had never been so big, so horrible, so devastating. In the end, he'd been ever to forgive Carly, but he knew that he would never be able to forgive Julia. She had done more than crossed the line; she had completely erased it.  
  
`````  
  
The little stuffed toy in his hand was so small. Gently, Jack ran his fingers over the bear's soft surface and remembered placing it next to JJ in his crib. As he looked at it, he slowly felt the pain begin to rise inside of him once more. It wasn't fair. After wanting a son for so long he had thought he was finally getting his wish. But Julia stole that from him.  
  
"I'll pack all that up and move it out of sight." Carly said, as she eased onto the couch next to him and took his hand in hers. "We can give it to charity if you want or simply put it away."  
  
For a moment, Jack didn't respond, but simply looked at the little animal he was still holding. "We should probably give it away." He finally answered. "There's no use for it now and some other little kid might enjoy all this stuff."  
  
Carly nodded, understanding that he couldn't stand looking at it. Knowing JJ's things were there would be too hard and would only remind him that his son was gone. "I'll take care of it first thing in the morning." She paused, as if weighing her words carefully. "You shouldn't blame yourself. What happened was Julia's fault and no one else's."  
  
"I know that Carly, but if she hadn't wanted to hurt me."  
  
"No buts Jack. She's crazy, remember? You didn't drive her to do any of this."  
  
"I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm fine."  
  
Carly shook her head. "You're not fine. You're hurting and I."  
  
Standing Jack spoke harshly. "I said I was fine, can we just drop it now?" With one look at her hurt expression, he cursed himself. "I'm sorry. I just, I really don't want to talk about Julia or JJ or any of this. Please."  
  
"Alright, but I'm here if you need me."  
  
"I know and that's one of the many reasons I love you." He smiled a little and pulled her into his arms.  
  
"I love you too." She whispered back, moments before their lips met.  
  
Just then Parker burst into the room. "Ewww! Kissing!" He exclaimed.  
  
`````  
  
"Good news." Hal said, approaching Jack's desk at the Oakdale Police Station.  
  
"It's about time someone had some good news. Is it about Will?" Jack asked, looking up into his friend's face.  
  
"No." Hal's voice was slightly sad for a moment, before he broke out into a smile. "Word has it your crazy ex has been apprehended."  
  
"They caught Julia?" Jack felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. Maybe with her safely behind bars he could get his life back, have a little peace.  
  
"Yeah, NYPD found her wandering around the city. She was mumbling something about needing to get home." He paused for a brief moment. "Anyway, they took her into custody, but said she seemed genuinely confused about why they would arrest her."  
  
"That's Julia for you." He gave his head a little shake. "She turned out to be quite an actor."  
  
"Not to mention a nut job." He let a comfortable silence lapse. "Why don't you go home and give Carly the good news. I'll call you if something comes up."  
  
"Thanks Hal, Carly will be thrilled to know that she no longer has to worry about Julia."  
  
Before walking away, Hal told him, "I think just about everyone to be thrilled to hear this news."  
  
`````  
  
  
  
"No one can know, Mike. Not Jack, not Molly, no one." Carly felt like she'd been saying the same over and over again these days. Her mistake seemed to haunt her every waking moment and she dreamt about it every night.  
  
"You really think Craig will keep our secret?" Mike asked.  
  
Carly shrugged. "He said he would. He even told Roseanna it was him that night at Monte Carlo."  
  
"What night at Monte Carlo?" Jack asked, entering the living room.  
  
Carly spun around to face him. "Jack, I wasn't expecting you home so early."  
  
"Obviously." He frowned. "What's going on here?"  
  
"Nothing." Carly answered quickly. Too quickly, Jack found himself thinking. "Some money turned up missing." She began with a half-truth and turned it into a lie. "And you know Roseanna, she was quick to blame me. But Craig said it was him that took the money."  
  
"Was it?" Jack asked, skeptical.  
  
Carly shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Anyway, I was just telling Mike about. And that's what you walked in on."  
  
"I was actually just leaving." He patted Jack on the shoulder as he walked past. "Later, man."  
  
"Later." Jack watched the door swing shut before facing his wife.  
  
"What?"  
  
Jack couldn't keep the grin from spreading across his face. "It's over."  
  
Carly looked at him, confusion etched on her face. "What's over?"  
  
"Julia's reign of terror." He put his arms around her waist and looked into her arms. "She's been arrested. It's finally over."  
  
`````  
  
Julia looked around the interrogation room; her expression matched that of a dear caught in the headlights. The thoughts rushing through her mind at the speed of light were giving her a headache. Reaching to rub her throbbing forehead she groaned as the cold metal dug into her wrist. She's forgotten about the handcuffs. An uniformed officer walked and Julia's eyes lit up a little with renewed hope. "Look, officer. I think there's been some kind of mistake. I don't belong here."  
  
"Right." The officer nodded in understanding. "This is all a big mistake and you didn't do a thing wrong."  
  
"You believe me?" She asked relieved.  
  
The officer smirked. "Do I look stupid? Every criminal that walks through that door sings the same song of innocence. If I believed everyone of them, the streets would be polluted with scum." He looked over carefully. "No, you're just like the rest of the filth we bring in off the streets. Sorry sweetie, but by the looks of things you're going to be in here for a very long time." 


	2. A New Puzzle

Disclaimer: I don't own ATWT or anything-associated w/ the show.  
  
-Chapter 2-  
  
"I could get used to this." Carly mumbled, her head resting on Jack's shoulder, her eyes half closed as sleep threatened to take her.  
  
Jack was equally relaxed. "What?"  
  
She shifted slightly, taking a moment to get comfortable again. "Not having to look over my shoulder. Not having to worry about Julia or anyone for that matter, trying to destroy this life that we have worked so hard to build."  
  
"It does feel good, doesn't it?" Jack agreed.  
  
"Very good."  
  
The couple fell into a comfortable silence, each simply enjoying the feel of having the other next to them. Right before they dozed off to sleep the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Jack eased off the couch and opened the door, but nobody was on the porch. As he went to shut the door, he noticed a large, thick envelope on the Welcome mat. He picked it up and flipped it over, reading the front of it. Across the middle, neatly printed were the words: To Jack Snyder With Love  
  
There was no return address or anyway to identify the sender. "Hey!" Carly called to him. "You're letting all the cold air in, shut the door!" She heard the door close and frowned when he reappeared in front of her. "Who was it?"  
  
"No one." He answered and showed her the letter.  
  
She studied it for a moment. "Are you going to open it?"  
  
Jack didn't respond at first. He was still a little unsure. Finally he nodded and slipped his thumb under the flap. Slowly he took the contents out. Enclosed were videotape and a note, folded into thirds. On the outside was written. Watch Then Read. Raising his eyebrows in Carly's direction he put the tape in the VCR. When the static and snow cleared he saw Julia sitting in an interrogation room, her hands cuffed behind her back, her feet shackled to a chair. It was obvious that she had been crying and a guard was yelling at her. Although there was no sound to the tape, by the way Julia flinched outwardly he knew the words had to have been harsh.  
  
"Maybe she's finally getting what she deserves." Carly commented when the tape turned fuzzy again, but Jack only frowned and reached for the letter he had set on the coffee table.  
  
"My dearest Jack," He began to read aloud. "Did you enjoy the movie? I found it utterly fascinating. In fact, I watch it over and over again, enjoying it more each time than I did the last. I can only imagine your relieve, your pure joy at learning of the arrest. And while I don't wish to deprive you of that joy, I feel it's only fair to warn you; you are not safe. This is far from over. We are far from over. All my love, Julia." Jack stared at the words long after he had finished reading them.  
  
Carly stood and moved in front of him, taking the letter from his hand and forcing her to look at him. "Don't let her get to you."  
  
"It's not her." Jack tried to explain. "It's not the letter or what she said that bothers me. How did she pull this off?" He motioned to the paper and the television screen.  
  
"Prisoners can write letters and send mail." She pointed out.  
  
Jack shook his head at her. "It's the tape. If she's a prisoner, how did she get it? Only cops have access to this kind of stuff, how did Julia get her hands on it?" Suddenly he stopped, an idea forming in his head. "Unless."  
  
"Unless what?"  
  
"Unless the woman on that tape isn't Julia."  
  
Carly looked up at him, understanding what he was getting at. "You think it's someone who only looks like Julia?"  
  
He nodded at her. "It makes sense. This woman resembles Julia; the police find her, take her in and simply assume the have the right person. Meanwhile, Julia is still out there and this is her way of telling us that."  
  
"And some poor innocent woman is stuck in jail for crimes she didn't commit."  
  
"Exactly. I have to get down to the station. Talk to Hal; see what he thinks. I'll be home as soon as I can." He told her and leaned down to kiss her goodbye. "Lock the door behind me." He warned and was gone.  
  
`````  
  
"It's possible." Hal agreed after hearing what Jack had to say.  
  
"I know it's possible, but do you think it's probable?" Jack asked, anxiously.  
  
Hal sighed, "There's only one way to find out. We have the envelope and it's contents fingerprinted and match them to the ones we have on file for Julia. Then we call the NYPD and have them double-check the prints for the woman they have. See if the match."  
  
"How long will that take?"  
  
"Depends on whether the cops in New York are willing to cooperate. You know how these things go, Jack. I'd give it a few weeks, until then try and relax. I know it's going to be hard, but we will get to the bottom of this."  
  
Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. The words he spoke not matching the feeling he was having. "I know that, it's the waiting. The waiting and wondering if Julia is still out there, just waiting to strike again."  
  
"We will catch her. One way or another, she'll pay for everything she has done to you and your family."  
  
"Thanks Hal. I needed a little reassurance."  
  
"Don't mention it." He patted him on the back. "Now get out of here and enjoy your day off."  
  
"I'll try, but it's going to be a little hard."  
  
Hal nodded, sympathetically. "I understand, but if you let her control your life, she wins. Now go, and give Parker a kiss for me."  
  
"Will do, man. See you tomorrow."  
  
`````  
  
"I want to go to New York." Jack said later that night. "Meet this woman. See what she knows."  
  
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Carly asked, turning to face him. "Hal said he would check out the fingerprints and."  
  
Jack shook his head and stood up. "I can't wait that long."  
  
"What if the woman in jail really is Julia? What if getting you to come to New York is all part of another one of her sick plans?"  
  
Jack knew he couldn't calm her nerves. He knew she had every right to be suspicious, he sure was. "I can't explain it to you. I have doubts myself about everything that's been happening, but a part of me doesn't believe that the woman I saw on that tape is the same woman who did all the horrible things Julia did. Like I said, I can't explain it. It's just a feeling."  
  
"Then I'm coming with you." She stated.  
  
"No," He shook his head. "You're not. You're staying here with Parker. It might not be safe for you to come."  
  
Carly was standing now as well. "It's not safe for us to be alone here."  
  
Jack agreed, "You're right it's not." When he saw that she was thinking he was giving in, he placed his hand on her shoulder. "But you're not coming. Take Parker and stay with Molly and Mike. If you still don't think that's safe enough, I know Hal would be more than happy to watch Parker while I'm gone."  
  
"What about your safety? Jack, this could be a trap."  
  
"I know, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. I'm going to make things safe for our family if it's the last thing I do." He paused and looked into her eyes. "Carly, I love you more than anything, which is why I have to do this. I have to end this once and for all, and I will do whatever it takes to do that." 


	3. A Visit With An Old Flame

Disclaimer: I don't own ATWT or anything associated with the show.  
  
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I wasn't sure how I wanted this chapter to go and I'm still not sure if I like it.  
  
-Chapter 3-  
  
Jack looked at the women through the small window of the interrogation room. She certainly looked like Julia. Like the old Julia, he decided as he took in the vulnerable look on her face. She was paler than he remembered and her dark brown hair hung limply around her face, her eyes still puffy from crying. Jerking her head up when he answered, their eyes met and both held the other's gaze for a moment, before Jack finally looked away. "Jack!" She exclaimed, a small smile appeared on her face. "I knew you'd come."  
  
Jack didn't smile back instead he frowned. His idea that she wasn't really Julia was proving to be false. "Julia." He answered, keeping his voice even.  
  
"What's wrong? You seem upset? Aren't you happy to see me?"  
  
Jack let out a short laugh? "Happy?" He asked incredulously. "Why would I be happy? After everything you've put me through."  
  
"What?" Her voice was small.  
  
"Don't act stupid, it really doesn't fit you. You made my life a living hell and took pleasure in it. You're sick."  
  
Tears formed in her eyes as he spoke. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Jack simply stared at her, he couldn't believe she would try to deny everything she had done to him and Carly and everyone else in Oakdale. "You know." He said. "Just admit it. Tell them everything and I'm sure you'll miss out on jail time. They'll probably give you a nice padded room."  
  
"Padded room?" Even Jack could hear her pain and confusion, but he blocked it out. Refusing to let her get to him he shook his head and left.  
  
"Well?" An officer asked when he exited the room. "Was it the right girl?"  
  
"Yes." Jack answered simply and left the police station.  
  
`````  
  
"How did go?" Carly asked when Jack arrived home. It was late and Parker was sleeping upstairs, but Carly had waited up for him.  
  
"It was her." He rubbed his forehead as he spoke.  
  
Sensing a hesitation, she prodded him, "But?"  
  
Jack sighed deeply before sitting down on the couch. "Something didn't seem right.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She seemed honestly confused."  
  
Carly shrugged. "She's a good actress, she's fooled us before."  
  
"Julia's crazy, not stupid. She knows we wouldn't believe her innocent act and after that letter, she doesn't seem like she wants to lie to us."  
  
"So, what are you thinking?"  
  
This time Jack shrugged. "I don't know, just that something seems to be a little off. I'm sure I'm just paranoid, but I feel like everything is happening to easily."  
  
"Maybe its just time for something to come easily to us, we've had our share of hardships, we deserve a little happiness, don't you think?"  
  
"We more than deserve it." He agreed and leaned in to kiss her. "I'm beat, can we talk more tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah, of course." She smiled.  
  
After kissing her again, he stood up. "I'm going to check on Parker and then I'll meet you upstairs?"  
  
"Sure." As she watched Jack walk away her smile quickly turned into a frown. If Jack thought something wasn't right, then something wasn't right. And she was going to find out just what that something was.  
  
`````  
  
"I have to go." Carly told Jack a few days later. "If I want Monte Carlo to be successful I need to these marketers and convince them to give their shelf space to my designers and not BRO."  
  
"I understand." He told her, "I just hate it. I'm going to miss you."  
  
Carly looked at him, a warm smile on her face. "I'll miss you too." She gave him a lingering kiss. "I love you." She sighed.  
  
"I love you too." He kissed her again, but she pulled away.  
  
"If you keep that up, I'm never going to leave."  
  
Jack murmured, "Mmmm." And kissed her again.  
  
Taking a step away, she told him firmly. "I'm leaving. You know where you can reach me. Parker!" She called up the stairs and the boy came bounding down. "Come give mommy a kiss goodbye."  
  
Throwing his arms around her, he gave her a big hug and she placed a kiss on his cheek. "Bye mommy, I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Parker. I'll be home soon."  
  
"Bring me home a souvenir!"  
  
She laughed softly. "I'll try." Was her promise. Giving him and Jack a last kiss she turned and left.  
  
`````  
  
"I'm here to see Julia Lindsay." Carly told the officer at the desk.  
  
The women frowned at the list of prisoners. "Julia Lindsay?" She frowned at Carly.  
  
"Snyder. Julia Lindsay Snyder." She replied, using Julia's married name.  
  
"Oh yes." The woman exclaimed, without smiling. "Follow me to the visiting area and I'll send her out." Leading Carly down the hall, she stopped at the doorway to a large room, with a row of visitors. Carly sat in an available chair and watched through the glass for Julia.  
  
Julia frowned when she saw Carly, but sat across from her and picked up the phone. "Carly, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to talk to you."  
  
"Obviously."  
  
Carly glared at her, but forced back a smart remark. "Why can't you leave Jack and I alone?"  
  
Almost rolling her eyes, Julie responded. "Why couldn't you? Jack I were happy, we were happily married and you couldn't let go." She pointed out.  
  
"That was different."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, I wasn't clinically insane for starters."  
  
Julie shook her head. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"  
  
"Because you are!"  
  
Julie still didn't seem to understand. "But why? What did I ever do that was so insane?"  
  
"How about what you did to Jack? And to JJ? You kidnapped an innocent baby just to get revenge on you ex-husband."  
  
"I did what? I think you're insane Carly, I would never to do that. And what do you mean, ex-husband?"  
  
Carly looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "Oh, don't even pretend like you don't know Jack and I are married. You showed up on our wedding day."  
  
This time Julia didn't answer only stared at Carly through the glass. After a long silence she spoke softly into the phone. "I didn't do that, I wouldn't." And then she was gone, out of the room and back into her cell.  
  
`````  
  
Carly sat on the plane later that night, Julia's words echoing through her mind. "I didn't do that, I wouldn't. I did what? What did I ever do that was so insane?" Shaking her head she tried to block the voice out, but it was no use. Thinking back to their brief visit, she realized Jack was right. Even Carly thought she appeared to be honest. Carly could still remember when they had learned that Julia was crazy. She had been genuinely shocked. If anything, Julia had always appeared too nice, sugary sweet even. Then all the lies and betrayals had come out and then the revelation that Julia needed to be hospitalized. She knew that Jack had honestly loved Julia and she knew that it was probably the death of their baby that had sent her over the edge. While she had felt bad for her, no one deserved to lose a baby, the way Julia had behaved afterwards and all she had done made all her pity pretty much disappear.  
  
The thought of Julia's baby made Carly think of her own. Her hands immediately went to her stomach and she looked down at it. "Hi, there." She spoke softly to her unborn child. "You, little one, have caused me quite a few problems, you know that? But don't worry about anything. Jack will be your daddy, he'll never know about Mike. I promise, I'll do whatever I can to make that happen." Giving her stomach a gentle pat, she leaned back in her seat and slowly drifted to sleep.  
  
`````  
  
"How was your business trip?" Carly had been avoiding talking about it since she had gotten home the previous night. Looking over at him, Carly sighed. She was keeping enough secrets from him as it was.  
  
"Honestly?" She asked and he nodded. "There was no business trip."  
  
Jack sighed. "What did you do know, Carly?"  
  
"Well," She began. "Just know that I did it all for you, for us."  
  
"Carly."  
  
Rolling her eyes, she replied. "Fine, fine. No more avoiding. I went to see Julia."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yes, you said something seemed off so I decided to find out for myself."  
  
Jack groaned. "You shouldn't have went there. I told you I didn't want you there."  
  
Carly smiled. "Since when do I listen?"  
  
He simply glared at her for a moment. "And? What did you find out?"  
  
"The same as you. It's hard to believe she's lying, but she has to be. Right?"  
  
"I guess. It just doesn't make any sense. What does she have to gain by lying?"  
  
Carly shrugged. "I don't know, I guess that's what we need to figure out."  
  
"Uh-uh," Jack said standing up. "There is no we. There's only an us, got that?"  
  
"But."  
  
"No, buts. As of now, you're out of this. Understood?" She crossed her arms firmly and leaned back against the couch. "Understood?" He repeated and she let out a long, loud sigh.  
  
"Understood."  
  
He gave a quick kiss. "Good, now I have to go the station. I love you." He smiled down at her.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I love you too." She smirked when the door shut behind him. Just because I understand doesn't mean I'm going to listen." 


End file.
